SANFORD, Fla. –– Offensive struggles in years gone by for the Orlando Magic are, by now, a well-documented phenomenon.
"It was no secret we struggled with three-point shooting last year," said Wendell Carter Jr., taking a break from his "Flight 34" event hosted by his foundation, A Platform Squared.
The Magic, budding on the cusp of potential contention, have the defensive pedigree to keep themselves in the fight with anyone they're matched against. As the young core develops offensively, the output is still lacking behind when compared to that of their competition.
However, more important than acknowledging the issue is working to rectify it. In the case of Orlando's offseason this summer, the Magic have done just that.
The Magic signed two-time NBA champion Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – a well-vetted three-and-D player who checks the boxes of being both a terrific perimeter defender and a worthwhile shooting threat. By way of a 3-year, $66-million deal in free agency, Orlando attracted one of the most sought-after pieces available this summer to help elevate its current core without displacing any cornerstone pieces.
Likely slotting into the day one starting five alongside Jalen Suggs in the Magic backcourt, time will tell if it's the only move the Magic must make to pull themselves out of the bottom 10 in offensive rating – a place they've found themselves in each of the last 12 seasons. If it's not, they're still well-positioned to make further moves to find more scoring creativity throughout the year.
But for the package Caldwell-Pope provides, his addition is a much-anticipated one throughout the levels of the organization.
"In my opinion, probably the biggest offseason move for any team in the NBA," Carter said. "He's a guy who brings experience and three-point shooting. He's been in the playoffs, he's won championships."
Experience beyond the 82-game regular season is of value to the Magic, who made their first trip back to the postseason in four seasons in 2023-24. Trading haymakers in slow-paced, low-scoring slugfests with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando bowed out in seven games in the first round of the East playoffs.
Finding a three-time 40-plus percent shooter from distance with multiple playoff runs and two rings to show for his work is already a glove-like fit on paper. But to the surprise of Carter, who knows a downfall of his game has always been his health issues, Caldwell-Pope's reliable availability is another asset of value his game promotes.
Throughout his 11 years in the NBA, Caldwell-Pope has appeared in at least 67 regular season games each year and has just one season where he played less than 20 minutes a night (19.8 in his rookie season with Detroit).
"His durability is something that I didn't really know (about)," Carter continued. "It just shows that he's a guy that's going to put everything on the line and help his team win, whatever team he's on. So I think he's a great addition.
"He's going to make it a lot easier to score the basketball."
He's won titles alongside all-time greats Nikola Jokic and LeBron James, and has played in 62 career postseason games across three different teams. He's made his career on becoming a star in his role, and few have shined brighter in such settings than Caldwell-Pope.
Now, with sights set high and the season soon to come, Orlando hopes it becomes the fourth playoff contender KCP has featured for in the pursuit of new heights for this era of Magic basketball.
"I'm always chasing the championship," Caldwell-Pope told reporters after being introduced by his new team earlier this summer. That was one of my ideas... seeing their progress, they made it to the playoffs, taking Cleveland to a game seven. That was enough for me. They got a little bit of a taste of that pressure and what it takes to make it past the first round. I'm just excited to be a part of it."
That would mean increased offensive efficiency and either a slight drop-off defensively or none at all. With how impressive Orlando was on the defensive end, a offense-for-defense trade-off may not be the worst thing to happen.
Then again, with Caldwell-Pope's on-court abilities being what they are, perhaps that conversation is baseless. As Carter's words likely speak for the majority of the Magic's feelings toward him, KCP might just check all the boxes. After all, that's what's typically expected of those considered for the best offseason signing around the league.
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